As always, the UGC En Primeur week is an intense, yet highly rewarding week where we were certainly put through our paces! Now all the wines have been released, we have chosen (in no particular order) our Smart Buys, Rising Stars and Super Second Wines from the campaign.

 

Wine Critic key:
AG - Antonio Galloni (Vinous)
CH - Colin Hay (Drinks Business)
GH - Georgina Hindle (Decanter)
JA - Jane Anson
JR - Jancis Robinson MW
JS - James Suckling
LPB - Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Independent)
NM - Neal Martin (Vinous)
WK - William Kelley (Wine Advocate

 

Smart Buys 

 

Tronquoy at £236 IB (12x75cl)
93-95 NM / 92-93 JS
Formerly know as Tronquoy-Lalande and first time it has been released En Primeur. Neal Martin declares it an "outstanding Saint-Estèphe determined not to lie in the shadow of it's sibling Montrose". Bravo!
A HIDDEN GEM

 

Les Ormes de Pez at £255 IB (12x75cl)
93-94 JS / 93 JA / 92-94 NM
We lovingly refer to it as Lynch Bages' "baby brother" as it is under ownership of the Cazes family. Great value Saint-Estèphe.
ONE OF THE BEST EVER PRODUCE HERE

 

Labégorce at £302 IB (12x75cl)
92-94 NM / 93 JA
Quality has increased dramatically under the Perrodo family due to big investment in the vineyard and cellar. Neal Martin states it "will be an utterly charming Margaux."
EXCELLENT VALUE MARGAUX

 

Langoa Barton at £214 IB (6x75cl)
96-97 JS / 93-95 WK / 92-94 LPB
Dramatic improvements in recent years and we believe it is now producing wines of a similar quality level to sister estate Léoville Barton, yet a fraction of the price... 
GREAT WINE FROM LEOVILLE BARTON SISTER ESTATE
 

Cantemerle at £266 IB (12x75cl)
93-94 JS / 92-94 WK / 93 JA
Without doubt one of the best Classified Growth Châteaux in the Haut-Médoc and William Kelley described the 2022 as "the finest wine this estate has produced in some time."
INCREDIBLE BALANCE - SO CHARMING AND PURE
 

Batailley at £372 IB (12x75cl)
96 JA / 95-96 JS / 94-96+ LPB
A firm UK customer favourite and we believe you'd be simply hard-pushed to find better value for money from a Cru Classé property! 
IN THE TOP TEN BEST VALUE BUYS OF THE VINTAGE

Haut-Bages Liberal at £402 IB (12x75cl)
96-97 JS / 94-96 NM / 93-95 WK
Stunning wine and RISING STAR of Pauillac. Neighbour to Pichon Lalande and Chateau Latour.
A MUST BUY
 

Feytit-Clinet at £606 IB (12x75cl)
95 JA / 94-95 JS / 92-94 NM
Twice the wine of Gazin (£720) and on par with neighbour Clinet (£980) at almost half the price!
STAR BUY FROM UGC POMEROL TASTING - BEAT MANY POMEROL THAT WERE £100+

 

Rising Stars

Château Meyney at £282 IB (12x75cl)
95 JA / 94-95 JS / 91-93+ WK
Often gets mistaken in blind tastings for its iconic neighbour: Montrose. Also included in Jane Anson's Top 30 Great Value 2022 Bordeaux list!
A HIDDEN GEM 

Château Phélan Ségur at £450 IB (12x75cl)
93-94 JS / 92-94 WK / 93 JA
Extremely well-received by critics with James Suckling commenting "best ever?" (96-97 points), and Neal Martin describing it as "quintessentially Saint-Estèphe" (95-97 points).
OUR MINI CALON SÉGUR 

Château Gloria at £377 IB (12x75cl)
94-96 NM / 94-95 JS / 92-94 LPB / 92 JA / 91-93 WK
A consistent and reliable source of top quality St. Julien. Included in Jane Anson's Top 30 Great Value 2022 Bordeaux list!
A CROWD PLEASER 

 

Château Rouget at £430 IB (12x75cl)
95-96 JS/ 95 JA / 95 GH
A property that has been flying under the radar in recent years, however, those in the know have long rated it highly - and rightly so!
BEST EVER FROM ROUGET 

 

Château Corbin, Grand Cru Classé at £318 IB (12x75cl)
93-94 JS / 92-94 WK / 93 GH
We are big admirers of Corbin having discovered it during the first lockdown when tasting it side by side with Canon... we were so impressed we lovingly refer to it as our mini Canon! 
OUR MINI CANON 

Château de Ferrand, Grand Cru Classé at £300 IB (12x75cl)
94 GH / 94 JA / 92-94 NM
A hidden gem and a property on the fast track to St. Émilion's Premier League. Included in Jane Anson's Top 30 Great Value 2022 Bordeaux list!
PROPERTY TO WATCH 

Château Berliquet, Grand Cru Classé at £274 IB (6x75cl)
94-95 WK / 93-95 LPB / 94 JA / 93-94 JS
An estate on the up having been purchased by Chanel several years ago and bearing the fruit of Nicolas Audebert's labour.
SISTER ESTATE TO CANON 

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, Premier Grand Cru Classé at £708 IB (12x75cl)
98-100 AG / 96-98 WK / 95-97 LPB / 96 JA
Vines located near Canon and Clos Fourtet. A welcome return to a more refined and elegant style in recent years under Thomas Duclos' guidance.
AN ESTATE ON THE RISE  - SOLD OUT AT MOST UK MERCHANTS

Château Croix de Labrie, Grand Cru Classé at £510 IB (6x75cl)
97-98 JS
A par with Cheval Blanc for us. A wow wine. We've tracked the estate too over the last few years and I think this is First growth quality!
IN MY TOP 10 WINES OF THE VINTAGE 

 

Super Second Wines

 

La Dame de Montrose at £378 IB (12x75cl)
94-95 JS / 92-94 WK / 92 JA / 92 GH
Second wine of Château Montrose. William Kelley declares it a "second wine that would embarrass numerous classified growths."
MADE FROM SAME VINEYARD AS GRAND VIN TO SAME RIGOROUS STANDARDS - NOT FAR OFF GRAND VIN AT 1/5TH OF PRICE 

 

Sarget de Gruaud Larose at £245 IB (12x75cl)
91 GH
Second wine of Château Gruaud-Larose.
BIG STEP UP IN QUALITY AT ESTATE THAT INCLUDES SARGET - HARD TO GET THIS QUALITY IN ST JULIEN FOR £20 PER BOTTLE IB 

 

Château La Chenade at £185 IB (12x75cl)
92-93 JS / 91-93 LPB
Second wine of Château Les Cruzelles.
GREAT PEDIGREE AS PART OF L'EGLISE CLINET STABLE / DURANTOU FAMILY - VERY SMALL QUANTITY HERE AND SURPRISED IT HASN'T SOLD OUT AS ON PAR WITH GRAND VIN 

 

Blason d'Issan at £228 IB (12x75cl)
94-95 JS / 92 JA
Second wine of Château d'Issan. Included in Jane Anson's Top 30 Great Value 2022 Bordeaux list!
SUPERB WINE THAT ANDREW AND JAMES BUY EVERY YEAR  - A SECOND WINE THAT'S A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK!

 

Lacoste-Borie at £241 IB (12x75cl)
92 JA / 90-92 WK
Second wine of Château Grand Puy Lacoste. Included in Jane Anson's Top 30 Great Value 2022 Bordeaux list!
40% OF YIELD WENT INTO LACOSTE-BORIE... STAR VALUE PAUILLAC

 

Lions de Batailley at £208 IB (12x75cl)
92 GH
Second wine of Château Batailley.
FIRST TIME RELEASED EN PRIMEUR - ALWAYS A SMART BUY IN GREAT VINTAGES 
 

Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc at £360 IB (12x75cl)
94-95 JS / 92-94 NM / 93 GH
Second wine of Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc.
A SENSATIONAL WINE WHICH BLEW ME AWAY... STAR BUY WHITE FROM GRAVES WITH LIMITED AVAILABILITY! 

 

Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge at £259 IB (12x75cl)
94 GH / 92-9 JS / 90-92 LPB
Second wine of Château Smith Haut Lafitte Rouge.
SHOWED ALL THE CHARACTERS OF ITS BIG BROTHER (GRAND VIN) WITH LESS POWER, YET SO DRINKABLE ALREADY 

Château Peymouton, Grand Cru at £160 IB (12x75cl)
93 JA / 92-93 JS / 90-92 AG
Not technically a second wine, but a section of the Château Laroque estate. Included in Jane Anson's Top 30 Great Value 2022 Bordeaux list!
GREAT VALUE COMPARED TO LAROQUE AT £239 IB PER DOZEN 

Clos La Gaffelière, Grand Cru at £192 IB (12x75cl)
94 JA / 92 GH
Second wine of Château La Gaffelière. Situated in between Ausone and Pavie.
ONE OF THE RISING STARS IN ST. ÉMILION 

Petit Cantenac, Grand Cru at £210 IB (12x75cl)
90 JA / 88-90 NM
Second wine of Clos Cantenac.
IMPRESSIVE SECOND WINE - BEST EVER  

 

 

Do check our Bordeaux 2022 Release Diary where you can view all releases as and when they happen, read our views, and get to grips with market sentiment. We will be sending out regular En Primeur emails throughout the campaign, should you wish to be included in this distribution, please email wine@bcfw.co.uk and we will add you to our mailing list.